Chrysanthemum plant named ‘DLFDANT3’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘DLFDANT3’, characterized by its upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; strong upright flowering stems with numerous inflorescences; decorative-type inflorescences with ray florets that are initially purplish red in color becoming light purple with development; relative tolerance to low and high production temperatures; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum X morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DLFDANT3’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

The Inventor/Applicant and Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor/Applicant and/or the Assignee. Inventor/Applicant and Assignee claim a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum x morifolium, typically grown as a cut flower Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘DLFDANT3’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new cut flower Chrysanthemum plants with numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Chrysanthemum x morifolium ‘Delidante’, not patented. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Delidante’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in October, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by vegetative terminal cuttings since October, 2012 in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘DLFDANT3’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘DLFDANT3’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Strong upright flowering stems with numerous inflorescences.     -   6. Decorative-type inflorescences with ray florets that are         initially purplish red in color becoming light purple with         development.     -   7. Relatively tolerant to low and high production temperatures.     -   8. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the mutation parent, ‘Delidante’, in ray floret color as plants of the new Chrysanthemum have darker purple-colored ray florets than plants of ‘Delidante’.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Delibartica Pink’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Delibartica Pink’ in ray floret color as plants of the new Chrysanthemum are initially purplish red in color becoming light purple with development whereas ray florets of ‘Delibartica Pink’ are light pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘DLFDANT3’ grown as a spray-type cut flower.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of upper (top of the photographic sheet) and lower (bottom of the photographic sheet) surfaces of typical leaves (left) and inflorescences (right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the late spring in ground beds in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial cut Chrysanthemum production. Plants were initially given long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels averaged 8 klux. Plants were grown as single-stem spray-type plants and were nine weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘DLFDANT3’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Chrysanthemum     x morifolium ‘Delidante’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 13 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 15 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type cut             flower that is typically grown as a single stem spray-type;             upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth             rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 81.3             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescence             plane.—About 85.1 cm.         -   Plant (spray) diameter.—About 28.5 cm.         -   Flowering stem length.—About 80.8 cm.         -   Flowering stem diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Flowering stem internode length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Flowering stem strength.—Strong.         -   Flowering stem aspect.—Erect.         -   Flowering stem texture and luster.—Densely pubescent;             slightly glossy.         -   Flowering stem color, developing.—Close to 144A.         -   Flowering stem color, developed.—Close to between 143A and             144A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 14.8 cm. Width: About 7.9cm. Shape: Ovate to broadly             ovate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately             lobed, coarsely serrate to dentate; sinuses divergent and             medium to deep in depth. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Moderately pubescent, not rugose; moderately velvety; very             slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Densely             pubescent, prominent venation; slightly velvety; very             slightly glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             developed leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker than             NN137A; venation, close to 146B. Fully developed leaves,             lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 147C.             Petioles: Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm by             4.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent; slightly             glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 147C; edges, close to             between NN137A and 147A. Color, lower surface: Close to             148C; edges, close to 138A. Stipules: Quantity and             appearance: Two leafy stipules, opposite, at the petiole             attachment to the stem. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About             7 mm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Moderately pubescent, not rugose; moderately             velvety; very slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Densely pubescent, prominent venation; slightly             velvety; very slightly glossy. Color, upper surface:             Slightly darker than NN137A. Color, lower surface: Close to             147B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with narrowly             obovate to oblanceolate-shaped ray florets and tubular disc             florets; inflorescences borne perpendicular to peduncles and             face mostly upright to slightly outwardly; ray and disc             florets develop acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; typical of Chrysanthemums.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere; at other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness); uniform flowering habit and             short response time, plants exposed to two weeks of long             day/short night conditions after planting followed by             photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about             54 days later when grown as a spray-type.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Good postproduction longevity; in             an interior environment, inflorescences and foliage will             maintain good color and substance for about two weeks;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit; when             grown as a spray-type, about 13 inflorescences develop per             flowering stem.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 8.4 cm. Depth (height):             About 3.1 cm. Disc diameter: About 5 mm; inconspicuous.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 145C.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1 cm. Diameter: About             1.3 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Texture and luster:             Distally, smooth and glabrous; proximally, moderately to             densely pubescent; moderately glossy. Color: Close to 137A,             137B, 138A and 138B; immature ray florets, close to 60A to             60B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 240 arranged in             about seven whorls. Length: About 3.1 cm; varying between 1             cm and 4.3 cm. Width: About 1 cm; varying between 0.2 cm and             1.5 cm. Shape: Obovate to oblanceolate; slightly recurved             and moderately to strongly carinate. Apex: Acute to             shallowly emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; not             undulate. Aspect: Initially upright to horizontal. Texture             and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately             velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly velvety; slightly glossy. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 70A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 70A; distally, tinged with close to 72A.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to between 75C and 76B;             venation, similar to lamina colors; color becoming closer to             between 75D and 76D with development. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to between 75C and 76B; venation, similar to             lamina colors; color does not change with development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 50 massed at             the center of the receptacle; disc florets inconspicuous.             Length: About 5.5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Lower 80%             fused into a tube; upper 20% free. Apex: Narrowly acute.             Margin, free-part: Entire. Texture and luster, inner and             outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, when             opening, inner and outer surfaces: Distally, close to 150D;             at the apex, close to N144A; and proximally, close to 145D.             Color, fully opened, inner and outer surfaces: Distally,             close to 150D; at the apex, close to N144A; and proximally,             close to 145D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About 24             arranged in about two whorls. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width:             About 4 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Densely pubescent; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to             146C; margins, translucent and close to 157D and N199A.             Color, lower surface: Close to NN137A and 143B; margins,             translucent and close to 157D and N199A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 7.6 cm.             Diameter, terminal peduncle: About 3.5 mm. Length, third             peduncle: About 13.2 cm. Diameter, third peduncle: About             3 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect, terminal peduncle: Mostly             upright. Aspect, third peduncle: About 35° from the             flowering stem axis. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent;             moderately glossy. Color: Close to 138A; venation, close to             137B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity: About five per floret. Filament length:             About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther size:             About 0.5 mm by 1.5 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong.             Anther color: Close to 22A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 17A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc             florets. Quantity: One per floret. Pistil length: About             8 mm. Style length: About 7 mm. Style color: Close to 145B.             Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft, decurrent.             Stigma color: Close to 5A. Ovary color: Close to 145C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have             not been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Chrysanthemum     have not been observed to be resistant or tolerant to pathogens and     pests common to Chrysanthemum plants grown under commercial     conditions. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about −12° C. to     35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘DLFDANT3’ as illustrated and described. 